10:30am Tuesday 17th November 2009
By Emily-Ann Elliott
A rival rescue package to save Pride in Brighton has been put forward.
Wilde Ones, which has worked as the production company for Pride for the past ten years, has come up with a solution to keep the Preston Park event in its current format.
It pulled out of the tendering process for next year's event after discovering Pride bosses were proposing to scale back to reduce costs.
The company disagreed with the Pride board's assessment of the financial problems and its solutions.
Now it has suggested it take over the running of the park event in 2010 as a not-for-profit event, leaving the Pride committee to continue with the parade and Pride week events.
Once the event had been paid for, all profits would go to the local voluntary sector and HIV organisations.
Dean Parker, Wilde Ones production manager, said: "The crucial thing is we wanted to save the park as we know it. It has grown into a great event."
A spokeswoman for Pride criticised Wilde Ones decision to release details of its plan. She said: "It has put a limited proposal into the public domain without a fully costed business plan or any transparency as to the business benefits."
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